Lassen pack wolf pup
Center for     Biological     Diversity   

Cause to Celebrate: New Wolf Pups Born in California

Exciting news for those who love wolves and are eager to see them return to their homelands on the Pacific Coast: Two endangered gray wolves seen last year roaming through Northern California have had pups. The pair produced at least three babies this spring, establishing a second wild wolf pack in the state -- the Lassen pack.

The new litter is only the second known to have been born in the state in the past century.

State biologists discovered the pups in July after capturing and collaring the female gray wolf in Lassen County in late June; they've now been captured on film by a U.S. Forest Service trail camera. The Center for Biological Diversity has played a key role in seeking protections and support since the wolf known as OR-7 wandered into the Golden State back in 2011.

Check out some absurdly adorable pictures of the pups and listen to a radio interview with Center wolf expert Amaroq Weiss.

Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument

2.7 Million People to Trump: Protect Our National Monuments

More than 2.7 million Americans have sent President Trump an unmistakable message: Don't mess with our national monuments.

Trump launched an attack on 27 national monuments in April, targeting more than 1 billion acres of natural and cultural wonders on public lands and in our oceans. The intent is clear: to turn over these incredible places for oil and gas drilling and other industrial uses. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has already recommended significant cuts to Utah's Bears Ears National Monument -- which oil, gas and mining companies are eyeing for industrial operations.

Millions of people raised their voices in favor of protecting monuments in a comment period that ended this week.

Thanks to the Center supporters who spoke up -- we're proud to be working with you. Get more from EcoWatch.

First New U.S. Toad Species Named in 50 Years

Dixie Valley toad

Researchers just announced that Earth harbors one more U.S. toad species than we've thought for the past half-century.

The Dixie Valley toad is a big-eyed, black-freckled amphibian found in spring-fed wetlands on under 1,500 acres of the Great Basin in Nevada. But it's already at risk of extinction due to a geothermal-energy facility proposed for its tiny home range.

"I hope this special toad was discovered in time to save it," said the Center's Jenny Loda. Read more in USA TODAY.

Wolf

House Republicans Expand War on Wolves in New Budget Bill

Republicans in Congress introduced a bill this week that would end all federal protections for wolves in the Great Lakes region and freeze federal wolf recovery efforts across the country. That includes wolves in California (where there are just two wolf packs) and the Southwest's Mexican gray wolf, of which only 113 individuals are alive in the wild. It's the latest attack by the GOP and the Trump administration on wildlife across the country.

"House Republicans are waging a despicable war on wolves and other species trying to escape extinction," said the Center's Brett Hartl.

A big thank you to those who've already donated this week to the Trump Resistance Fund to stop these assaults. We can't fight these ugly political attacks on wolves without your support.

In The Revelator: Fate of Vaquitas, Summer Reads

Vaquita

Fewer than 30 vaquitas remain on Earth. It's a tough, dire situation -- and the coming years will be crucial to determining the fate of this rare porpoise. Don't miss The Revelator's insightful interview with Barbara Taylor, a key biologist working to save this incredible species.

Also, if you're looking for some great summer reading, check out The Revelator's top 7 new environmental books for July.

Endangered Species Condoms and tweet

Endangered Species Condoms for Every U.S. Senator

World Population Day was Tuesday -- and we wanted to make sure politicians in D.C. didn't forget about the importance of protecting reproductive rights and family-planning programs.

That's why, as they returned from the holiday break, we sent every U.S. senator a package of our Endangered Species Condoms -- part of the Center's work to raise awareness about human population growth and its effects on wildlife. All told, 600 condoms went to the Senate.

The colorful condom packages made a quick splash, setting off some pretty entertaining Twitter conversations and media coverage, like in USA TODAY and Bustle.

Reward for Red Wolf Killer Reaches $20,000

Red wolf

The Center added $10,000 to a reward for information leading to the apprehension of whoever killed an endangered red wolf. With help from allies, that reward is now $20,000.

The feds first offered $2,500 for tips on the killer of a red wolf poisoned and found dead on Jan. 27 in North Carolina; the Center and other groups have chipped in.

"Red wolves can be saved," said the Center's Jamie Pang. "But with fewer than 50 left in the wild, this deplorable killing can't be tolerated." Get more from ABC News.

Deer in crops

Missouri and Arkansas Ban Monsanto's Drift-prone Pesticide

In response to more than 700 complaints of crop damage, both Missouri and Arkansas have announced immediate emergency bans on the sale and use of the controversial pesticide dicamba, which has damaged thousands of acres of crops across the Midwest and South.

"This drift-prone chemical is the latest evidence of the escalating dangers of our unreasonable addiction to pesticides, and it has no business being sprayed anywhere," said Nathan Donley, a senior scientist at the Center.

Dicamba is known for its tendency to evaporate and drift to nearby fields and is highly toxic to virtually all fruits and vegetables, as well as many other crops that haven't been genetically altered to resist it. It's also linked to cancer in farmers and risks to endangered species.

Read more in our press release.

Print newsletters

Check Out Our Membership Newsletter

This summer's Endangered Earth, the Center's print newsletter, is now available online. This issue covers the earliest and highest-profile of our dozens of lawsuits against Trump -- suits to stop the Arctic and its big white bears from being sacrificed to Big Oil, stop Alaskan wolves and bears from being gunned down in their dens, and defend the beautiful U.S.-Mexico borderlands and their jaguars from Trump's wall.

Each print edition includes pieces written by the staff closest to highlighted campaigns, plus a message straight from our executive director. We make this members-only newsletter available to online supporters to thank you for taking action -- but please consider becoming a member today and helping even more. Just call us toll free at 1-866-357-3349 x 311 or visit our website to learn more and donate.

Read our membership newsletter now.

Palm cockatoo

Wild & Weird: Scientists Discover Drumming in Birds

According to a new study, Australia's male palm cockatoos make drumsticks and then hammer out a rhythm in order to attract the attention of females. This would make them one of only two species in which males do this -- the other is humans.

Have a listen to these cockatoos drumming away in our new video on Facebook or YouTube.

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Photo credits: Lassen pack wolf pup courtesy USFS; Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument by Bob Wick/BLM; Dixie Valley toad by Patrick Donnelly/Center for Biological Diversity; wolf by Chad Horwedel/Flickr; vaquita by Paula Olson/NOAA; Endangered Species Condoms courtesy Center for Biological Diversity and tweet by Sen. Ben Sasse; red wolf by Dave Pape/Wikimedia; deer in crops by gotowefoto/Flickr; newsletters courtesy Center for Biological Diversity; palm cockatoo by Jim Bendon/Flickr.

Center for Biological Diversity
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Tucson, AZ 85702